Hospitals stop Aarogyasri services; govt steps in

​Hyderabad: Over 200 private hospitals, across the State, that are part of Telangana Network Hospitals Association (TANHA) stopped all services including in-patient for Aarogyasri, EHS (Employee Health Scheme) and JHS (Journalist Health Scheme) cardholders from Saturday. As the TANHA took the extreme step, the Telangana administration stepped in to restore parity.

Discussions were called for by the top officials in the health department with association representatives to sort out the issue. The meeting is likely to be held on Monday. Meanwhile, Caretaker Health Minister C Laxma Reddy clarified that health services were not affected as corporate, teaching (government and private), district and area hospitals across Telangana were functioning like before.

It may be mentioned here that Telangana Network Hospitals Association (TANHA) earlier stopped extending out-patient and Diagnostic services to patients having Aarogyasri and EHS, JHS health cards. Around 230 hospitals across the State took the decision following government's failure to clear dues that the association claimed to have crossed Rs 1,000 crore. The network hospitals warned at that time to stop all services including in-patient services from December 1 if the health department failed to clear their dues in the meantime. Accordingly, the network hospitals stopped in-patient services from Saturday onwards.

TANHA State president Dr V Rakesh and State secretary T Hariprakash on Saturday said that all 230 hospitals took part in the stir on the first day. They said that hospitals were not in a position to continue services due to financial woes as the government failed to clear dues that kept on mounting and crossed Rs 1,200 crore in last 12 months. The association members said that they received a bare minimum of Rs 50 crore after resorting to protest.

Minister C Laxma Reddy, in a statement, clarified that there was no disruption of health services including emergency services across the State. “15 noted corporate hospitals, NIMS, Osmania, Gandhi hospitals, 39 government and private teaching hospitals, 150 area and district hospitals across Telangana were rendering services as usual. Public can call 104 helpline to know details of hospitals and health services that can be availed,” he said.

Laxma Reddy called upon hospitals association to withdraw their stir in view of inconvenience that can be caused to the poor and the needy if they continued protest for a longer period. Meanwhile, Aarogyasri Health Care Trust in a press note stated that this year until November 30, Rs 688 crore were given while last year during the same period the amount paid was Rs 344 crore. It warned hospitals of serious action including de-empanelment if patients are deprived of health services or if inconvenience is caused to them.